Brushing Your Teeth Improperly May Invite the “King of Cancers”? New Study Links Oral Hygiene to Pancreatic Cancer Risk
Pancreatic cancer, often called the “King of Cancers,” is one of the most feared diseases due to its difficulty in early detection and extremely low survival rate. But have you ever thought that your daily brushing habits might influence your risk of developing this deadly cancer?
A recent scientific study revealed that poor oral hygiene allows certain bacteria and fungi in the mouth to enter the body through saliva, significantly increasing the risk of pancreatic cancer.
The Silent Killer: Early Signs of Pancreatic Cancer Are Hard to Detect
The pancreas sits deep within the abdomen, and early-stage tumors rarely cause noticeable symptoms. Standard ultrasound or blood tests usually cannot detect it early. Most patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage when the cancer has already spread or recurred, leading to poor treatment outcomes and low survival rates.
From Mouth to Pancreas: Microbes Reveal New Clues in Cancer Prevention
Researchers have long observed that people with poor oral health are more likely to develop pancreatic cancer. Some studies suggest that bacteria can travel from the mouth to the pancreas through swallowed saliva—but which species are responsible remained unclear.
A team from New York University (NYU) led by epidemiologists Richard Hayes and Yixuan Meng analyzed data from two large ongoing U.S. cohort studies: the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Prevention Study II and the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial.
In total, they tracked 122,000 participants across the United States to examine how diet, lifestyle, and medical history affect cancer risk. Each participant provided a mouthwash sample early in the study to preserve the microorganisms in their saliva. The researchers followed them for about nine years and recorded any cancer diagnoses.
By analyzing the DNA of bacteria and fungi in these samples, the team compared 445 individuals diagnosed with pancreatic cancer to 445 matched controls without cancer, while adjusting for known risk factors such as age, race, and smoking habits.
Four Microbes Linked to Tripled Pancreatic Cancer Risk
The results revealed that several microorganisms in the mouth may reach the digestive system and affect the pancreas.
Among 27 identified bacteria and fungi, three bacterial species—Porphyromonas gingivalis, Eubacterium nodatum, and Parvimonas micra—and one fungal species—Candida tropicalis, commonly found on the skin and in the gut—were significantly associated with increased pancreatic cancer risk.
Researchers also detected these microbes directly within the pancreatic tumors of affected patients. Overall, individuals with these microorganisms had more than triple the risk of developing pancreatic cancer.
This is the largest and most detailed study to date exploring the link between oral microbes and pancreatic cancer.
Lead researcher Hayes emphasized that while this doesn’t prove these microbes directly cause cancer, their presence warrants further investigation. Interestingly, some other bacteria and yeast species were linked to a lower risk, suggesting that the specific makeup of one’s oral microbiome plays a crucial role in overall health.
Brushing and Flossing: More Than Just Preventing Gum Disease
According to Science Alert, this research carries major implications: the five-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer is only about 13%, largely because it is often detected too late. Understanding early risk factors—such as the composition of oral microbes—could improve early screening.
Jiyoung Ahn, a professor at NYU’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, said that analyzing oral bacteria and fungi could one day help oncologists identify individuals who need earlier pancreatic screening.
The study, published in JAMA Oncology, marks a major step forward in understanding how oral health connects to cancer risk. The team’s next focus will be on exploring how viruses may contribute to pancreatic cancer and how the oral microbiome affects patient survival.
For now, one thing is clear: brushing and flossing daily not only prevent gum disease—they might also protect you from pancreatic cancer.
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